Gaby and the Guys
by Passion4Writing1218
Summary: Gaby loves her summer at camp. She loves hanging with her friends and chilling out. But when an unexpected 'tragedy' befalls, she has no choice but to turn to her best guy friend. But will what seems like a perfectly innocent friendship turn to romance?
1. Chapter 1

Gaby lay lazily on her bunk, remembering times back home. Today was Wednesday. She hated Wednesdays. Camp had started "Work Out Wednesday" to keep everyone in shape when they weren't playing sports. Gaby absolutely despised it. What was the point? Everyone always stayed in shape anyway!

She flashbacked to times she and her boyfriend Ben had shared. Ben was perfect. He was classy, romantic, cute, funny, and especially, he talked like he was from another century. He talked to her like she was the princess and he was the knight in shining armor coming to rescue her. She knew she could count on him. They'd been together for three years. Gaby remembered all they'd been through: first coed party, first date, first kiss, first real relationship, and for Gaby, the first time she'd ever known she was really in love.

"Hey Gaby," Alex said, wandering into the cabin, and waking Gaby from her day dreams and flashbacks. "What about 'work out Wednesday'?" Alex climbed up the ladder to Gaby's top bunk and stuck her face only inches away from Gaby's. Gaby stuck out her tongue. "It isn't exactly optional, you know!" Alex reminded her.

"I hate Wednesday!" Gaby said, making a face.

"Really mature, Gabs." Alex grabbed Gaby's wrist and tugged. "Let's go!" Gaby clawed at Alex's hand. "Ouch! Gaby that hurts," Alex cried out, pulling her hand away.

"Then GO AWAY!" Gaby exclaimed. She flopped onto her stomach as Ben couldn't leave her mind. She knew it was love. She was sure of it.

Alex sighed, and, giving up, she climbed down the ladder and left the cabin. Gaby sat up, and picked up her cell, hidden in the back pocket of her new blue bag. She reread all the texts Ben had sent her. The poems he'd wrote her and all the romantic things he'd said to her. She sighed and decided to do the right thing. She climbed from her bunk, threw on a sweater and headed out to the field.

"Hey Gaby!" Natalie called as she jogged over to where Gaby stood awkwardly, left out of the group activities. "We're doing laps and warm-ups and stuff in groups. There might be a spot on Chelsea's team." Natalie pointed to where Chelsea was leading five other girls in jumping jacks.

"Um, okay thanks," Gaby said awkwardly. She headed over to Chelsea, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Got an extra spot for me?"

Chelsea shook her head no. "There's only allowed six girls on a team. We're kind of full. Sorry." She turned her back to her group. "Five, six, seven, eight…"

Gaby looked around. Everyone was full except for a group of five boys. Gaby boldly walked up to a brunette boy. He turned around, apparently hearing her approaching, and smiled a perfectly straight and white smile. Gaby smiled back. "Hey, I'm Gaby," she held out her hand and he took it.

"Jake," he replied, shaking his hair out of his chocolate brown eyes. "You looking for a group?" Gaby nodded yes. "You can join us, the guys don't mind." Jake gestured to the four other guys standing there. "That's Thomas," he said, pointing toward a blonde haired blue eyed boy. "That's Trevor," he said, pointing to a brown haired blue eyed boy. "Felix," he said, pointing to a red haired green eyed boy. "And that is Rory," he said, pointing to a blonde haired brown eyed boy.

"Hey you guys," Gaby replied, smiling at each one. "I'm Gaby." They all muttered a 'hey' and then Jake started leading them in stretches. Gaby joined in, and soon they were all joking and laughing. Gaby had always gotten along well with guys. They were just so easy to befriend.

"So, you're going to sit with us at lunch, right?" Jake asked her. "Unless, of course, you'd rather sit with them," Jake smirked, looking away. Gaby followed his gaze, and found herself staring at her completely un-athletic friends, tripping and falling all over themselves.

"Wow, do I look that stupid?" Gaby asked, laughing. She imitated Natalie; she walked on her tiptoes and tried to do jumping-jacks on her tiptoes, and fell all over herself. She landed on the ground, laughing along with all the guys.

"Course you do! What'd you think you looked like? One of us?" Rory laughed, elbowing Felix in the gut. Felix groaned and rolled onto the ground, causing Gaby to giggle.

"Alright, girls and guys in the seventh division, time for lunch!" the new camp director, Kenny, called with his Megaphone. "Work Out Wednesday will continue after we eat!"

Gaby rolled her eyes. Thomas laughed. "Yeah, and instead of work out Wednesday they'll have to call it barf-up Wednesday!" Everyone except Gaby laughed.

"You guys that's seriously not funny," she said, trying to keep from laughing. She knocked shoulders with Jake. "C'mon, let's eat." The guys followed her towards the mess hall, where they grabbed a table in the back.

During lunch, Gaby and the guys talked about everything. They talked about their schools, their friends, their parents, their hobbies, their dates, everything. Gaby enjoyed herself. It was easy to tell everything to her guy friends. She didn't know them very long, but she had a certain feeling that they would be best friends. She knew she would always be able to trust them.

That night, after 'Work Out Wednesday' was all over, Gaby headed to her cabin and climbed to her top bunk. She tugged her magazine out from under her pillow. Even though some of her best friends were guys, she was still a girly girl. She loved painting her nails, shopping, dressing up, etc. Opening the front cover of the magazine, a small blue, folded up note card fell out. Gaby picked it up and examined it in her hands. She carefully unfolded it and read the perfectly scrawled writing she knew only too well.

**Dear Gaby,**

**When you find this note, you'll probably be at camp but I will be away by then. I'm sorry I couldn't give you notice, and I'm sorry this is so urgently soon, but as your boyfriend, I feel my duties to you are stronger than your demands. I know you try to be the best possible girlfriend, but I feel our partnership has been like an old rope fringing at the ends and getting weaker every minute. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in advance, but I'm moving. And I think that calls for something I should have done long before. So I'm breaking up with you**

**I'm truly sorry,**

**Ben**

Gaby dropped the note from her trembling hands. No, this is not what she had expected. Her 'classy, romantic' boyfriend had dumped her- by a note! Gaby couldn't believe it. She felt frozen in time and space. "No," she breathed. "This isn't possible!" Ben was the most romantic boy she had ever met. He was classy and polite and beautiful and perfect! Yet she had lost him by a single blue note card. Tiny tears sprung in her eyes. "Not possible!" she threw her hands over her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

It was a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Gabs! What's up?" Alex asked, heading towards Gaby's bunk. Gaby didn't reply. All she could think about was Ben.

"Whoa," Alex said when she looked at Gaby's tear-stained face. "Gaby, are you okay?"

Gaby stared at the ceiling. Nothing would make her feel better. How could Ben dump her just like that? By a _note_?

"Girls," Alex said nervously. "I think there's something wrong with Gaby."

All of the girls in the bunk crowded around Gaby's bunk, and with one look at Gaby's face, they all started asking each other what in the world could be wrong with Gaby. They all immediately thought back to last year, when Gaby had pretended that one of the contestants on Survival Camp was her brother, just for attention. They wondered what stunt she might be trying to pull now.

Gaby was annoyed by all of this commotion. Normally, she would have loved the attention, but now, she just couldn't stand it.

"Go away," she groaned, rolling onto her stomach and pulling her pillow on top of her head.

All of the girls rethought their accusations. Gaby wouldn't tell them to go away if she wanted their attention.

All of them huddled around the bunk, asking each other if they knew why Gaby was crying. All but one; and that one, of course, was Chelsea. Gaby and Chelsea had never been he greatest of friends.

"Guys, just leave her alone," Chelsea sighed, flipping through her magazine.

"Thank you, Chelsea," Gaby exclaimed, sitting up to face her friends. "You should all listen to Chelsea. She'd really a _very_ brilliant person!" She threw her hands up and went back to her position.

"Geez Gaby," said Kelsey, a new girl at camp. "You don't have to blow up at everyone."

"Yeah, Gaby," echoed Candace. "You don't have to blow up."

"Guys, just let her be," said Grace, pulling them away.

All of the girls slowly backed away, and after a few minutes they all went back to their regular activities, forgetting about Gaby and her issue, whatever it was.

Hours passed; Gaby had skipped all of the activities and stayed on her bed.

"Hey, Gaby," Jake said, leaning towards her. "Your friend, what was it, um, oh! Natalie! Natalie let me in."

"Hey," Gaby said, trying to smile. "You know, Jake, now's not really a good time."

"I know, I get it," Jake said. "That's why, instead of trying to make you talk about it, I'm going to cheer you up." He smiled.

"I don't know," said Gaby. "I don't feel so well."

"Exactly!" smiled Jake, grabbing her hand. "Now come with me."

Gaby finally smiled and got out of bed. With a smile, Jake lead her outside, where the rest of her new guy friends were waiting.

"Victory!" he shouted, raising Gaby's hand in the air.

Gaby giggled as all of the guys clapped.

"Now let's go," Jake said. "We're going to have a race!"

They all ran down to the lake, Gaby reaching the dock second, right after Jake.

"Wow," Gaby breathed. "You're fast!"

"Why, thank you!" Jake laughed, bowing elegantly. "You're not so bad yourself!"

"Why thank you!" Gaby replied, laughing. She gave a big curtsy, but Felix pushed her at the hip, and she fell, laughing, into the water.

"Hey!" she shrieked, splashing them all.

"Watch out!" Jake yelled, taking off his tee-shirt and plunging into the water next to her. The rest of the guys followed soon after, and then they were all having a blast, and Gaby forgot completely about Ben.

_See,_ she thought. _This is the beauty of having guy friends. They don't bother you to find out what's wrong. They make you feel better._

"All right," Rory said. "We're going to have a swimming race from this dock to that buoy out there and back. When you get back you have to slap the next person's hand before they can go."

"Teams!" Felix yelled.

"All right," Rory said. "Captains are, Jake, and, Gaby!"

"Okay captains, pick your team!" Felix said.

"I pick Rory," Gaby said.

"Felix," Jake claimed.

"Trevor."

"Thomas."

"Okay," Rory said. "Gaby's team and Jake's team, get in your lines!" Each of the boys assembled behind their captain.

"Let's win this!" Gaby cheered, giving out high fives to her team mates.

"You're going down!" Jake growled.

"We'll see about that," smirked Gaby.

"You know," Trevor said. "You're really confident for someone who's going to _lose!"_

"I know you are, but what am I?" retorted Thomas.

"Wow, Thomas," Gaby laughed. "That's so second grade!"

"All right guys, FOCUS!" Rory commanded.

"On your marks," Thomas chanted.

"Get set," Trevor added.

"GO!" they all shrieked, and Gaby and Jake dove into the water.

"Go Gaby! Go Gaby!" her team shouted.

"Win! Win! Win!" Rory screamed.

"Competitive much?" Thomas teased.

"Faster Jake! Faster! You're losing!" shouted Jake's team.

Gaby kicked her legs fiercely. She struck the water each time her hand came down. Her legs were getting sore but she wasn't going to slow. She had been practicing like crazy so she could beat anyone who challenged her.

She slapped the buoy and turned around. Jake was a few feet from the buoy.

"Faster Gaby! Go! Go Gaby!" her team chanted. "Go Gaby go! Go Gaby go! Go Gaby go!"

She kicked furiously and pushed herself to go as fast as she could go.

She was almost there now, just a few feet away.

She reached out her hand and slapped Rory's hand, and he jumped in.

Gaby clung to the dock and turned around to locate Jake. He was right behind her, his hand outstretched towards Thomas' hand.

He slapped in and Thomas dove in.

Jake turned around to locate Gaby, but he couldn't see her.

"Hey, I'm right here," Gaby said. Jake turned and faced her. "Ha ha!" Gaby taunted. "I beat you!"

"Pssh," he snorted, "I let you win."

"Sure you did, Jake, sure you did," Gaby teased. "And you also invented the television and satellite radio."

Jake laughed.

"Hey Gaby! There you are!" cried Grace. Gaby turned to see her friends running towards them in their bikinis and flip-flops.

"We were looking all over for you," Natalie said.

"Yeah, we looked all over," Candace echoed.

"Who are your, uh, friends?" Chelsea asked with a smile. She twirled a piece of hair around her finger and winked at Trevor.

"Guys," Gaby sighed. "This is Thomas, Trevor, Felix, Rory, and Jake."

"Hey," the guys chorused.

"Hi," Chelsea giggled. "I'm Chelsea, I'm sure you've seen me around? Or heard of me? I was the one who got lost at the abandoned amusement park last year?"

"Oh, yeah," Trevor laughed. "I've heard of you!"

"Yeah," Felix laughed. "I heard you kept freaking out even after you got back to camp! You kept screaming and shrieking about _flashbacks_!" Felix imitated a shrieking girl, screaming and then crumpling to a heap on the ground.

All of the boys and Gaby laughed. Chelsea dropped her hair and turned abruptly on her heel.

"I'm hungry," she said, storming off. She stopped and snapped, and immediately Candace, Grace, Kelsey and Emma flocked to her side.

"They're jerks anyway," Grace said, patting Chelsea's shoulder.

"Yeah, they're jerks," Candace repeated.

"Hey, mind if Priya, Natalie and I join you guys?" Alex asked, gesturing towards Priya and Natalie.

"Sure," Jake said, smiling at Natalie. Natalie giggled and turned away.

Gaby steamed. She wasn't sure why it hurt her when Nat flirted with her new best guy friend, but this wasn't going to fly.

She wanted her new friends all to herself, but she couldn't exclude her other friends. And she couldn't leave, because then her friends would have fun with her new friends without her!

_Grr, _Gaby thought, sighing in her head. _Life is just so complicated. _But she turned and followed her friends as they headed towards the dock again.

"Okay, let me show you again," Jake laughed, half an hour later. He wrapped his arms around Natalie's and held her hands in place while she grabbed the hockey stick. He lifted her hands back to her shoulder and then swung like a golf club. The hockey stick hit the sponge and it went flying through the tube that floated near the buoy.

"Okay, okay," Natalie laughed, looking Jake right in the eyes and smiling at him.

Gaby was fuming. She couldn't stand this! Why was Natalie being such a flirt with Jake?

Natalie attempted to hit the sponge again but her stick hit the dock and she jolted forward towards the water.

"Whoa!" Jake said, and he jumped forward and grabbed her before she could fall.

"Thanks," Natalie smiled.

_How much more of this can I endure?_ Gaby thought sickly. _I am going to throw up in about 3 seconds._

It continued at lunch. Gaby hurried her guy friends over to the table they sat at yesterday, but Jake waved over Natalie, Alex, and Priya, and they all joined them.

Natalie and Jake flirted the whole lunch, while Priya and Alex just acted like friends with the guys. Gaby was thankful neither of them was crushing on ne of the guys.

After lunch, Natalie and Jake went off to the vending machines behind the mess hall. Gaby tried to follow them, but Natalie shooed her away.

_Who knows what they're doing back there? _Gaby thought. The thought was sickening.

At the campfire that night, Natalie and Jake sat next to each other the whole time, but then Natalie was called to the nurse's office because she hadn't filled out a form properly.

Gaby quickly sat down next to Jake.

"Wow," Jake sighed. "She's really something."

"You don't, _like_ her, do you?" Gaby asked uncertainly.

"No," Jake laughed uncomfortably. "Of course not."

"Can I ask you something?" Gaby asked.

"You just did," Jake smiled, but when he realized Gaby was serious, he stopped. "Sure," he said.

"What did you and Natalie do behind the mess hall?" Gaby asked.

Jake laughed for what seemed to Gaby like five minutes. "Nothing serious, Gaby!" he laughed. "We just talked, and bought soda, and stuff. You didn't think we were do anything bad, did you?" he laughed, but then he looked at Gaby's face and his smile turned upside down. "Did you?" he asked.

"Well, actually, yeah, I did," Gaby said.

"Well you don't need to me," Jake said. HE stood up and stalked off to his cabin, leaving Gaby feeling lower than scum on the bottom of your shoe.

_I hate Natalie, _she thought. _I hate her._


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Ben,

I got your letter and I totally agree and secretly I've always hated you and never really liked you or wanted to go out. Please never ever ever ever ever ever ever talk to me again

From Gaby

* * *

_No,_ Gaby thought. _This is such a lie he won't even believe it. _She crumpled it up and threw it away.

* * *

Dear Ben

I can't believe you want to break up with me! I thought you loved me! Did you find someone else? I bet it was Alicia. Alicia got to you, didn't she? I bet she was like, my ex-wingman or something. I think it's awful that you believe her. But it's never to late to change your mind, Benny!

Love Gaby

* * *

_Not even close,_ thought Gaby. _He'll think I'm desperate._

* * *

Dear Ben

I hate you. I never want to talk to you again. Your mother should be ashamed. You should be ashamed. I don't know why I ever liked you.

From Gaby

* * *

_This is good,_ Gaby thought happily. _But, that's a little harsh_.

* * *

Dear Ben

I'm not really sure what to say, I've already tried three times to write this letter. How could you do that to me? Just leave me a note? What kind of cruel, cold-hearted boyfriend does that? Oh, I remember, just the cowardly ones do that. How could you?

Gaby

* * *

_Nope, not this one, _Gaby thought. _This one I just sound childish._

* * *

Dear Ben

I got your letter and I agree. I think I had higher standards and you were lower than scum. I guess you couldn't live up to my standards. Thank you for making me realize this. You know, you couldn't be more right. I should have high standards and find someone who can actually fit them. Thanks for opening my eyes.

Your ex, Gaby

* * *

Gaby knew this note was perfect. _Makes him think I'm not hurt or jealous, and makes him feel like scum. Perfect,_ Gaby thought slyly. She folded up the note, slid it into an envelope, and

wrote his address on the front.

"Grace," she said. "I'm going to go mail this, just in case anyone comes looking for me. You know."

"Okay, whatever," Grace said, not looking up from her book.

Gaby headed outside the cabin. The night air was crisp and felt cool against her skin. The full moon looked ominous but strangely comforting.

That was, until Gaby looked to her right and saw Jake and Natalie sitting and laughing together on a bench. Gaby steamed and stormed off to mail her letter.

She opened the tin lid of the postal box, and shoved in her letter. Then she slammed the lid closed and stormed to the lake.

She sat down on the dock, her legs dangling in the water. She looked at the full moon, and as she calmed down, she began to wonder why it bothered her so much that Jake liked Natalie.

"Hey," Jake said, sitting down next to her.

"What do you want, Jake?" Gaby asked.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked.

"What do you think I meant?" Gaby said.

"I don't know, Gaby!" Jake said. Gaby couldn't speak. Jake's distressed face made her sad, his hair was in his eyes and Gaby couldn't resist. She took the strand of hair and brushed it gently away from his eyes, so she could stare directly into them.

"I don't know exactly why," she said quietly, and she turned to face the lake. "I'm not sure," she continued. "But I know that it bothers me when you flirt with Natalie."

They both stared at the lake in silence for a while, but Jake broke the silence.

"Natalie?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and smirking. Gaby turned and faced him. "Are you, _jealous_, of Natalie?" he asked.

"What?" Gaby asked, blushing. "No! No, I didn't-"

"I think Gaby's jealous, Gaby's jealous," Jake sang.

"But I'm not!" Gaby protested.

Jake started chuckling. "Why are you jealous, of, Natalie?" he asked finally.

"Because," Gaby said. "You guys talk and flirt and stuff."

"So, wait," Jake said, trying to comprehend this information. "So, you _like_ me?"

_Do I? _Gaby wondered. "I'm not really sure."

"Well, if you didn't, then that wouldn't be okay," Jake smiled.

"What?" Gaby asked, a smile playing delicately on her lips. "Why not?"

"Because, then, I couldn't do this without you getting mad at me," he said, smiling.

"What?" Gaby asked. Jake leaned towards her. _Oh my gosh,_ she thought. _Is he going to kiss me? I hope my breath doesn't smell bad!_

Jake leaned closer, and then he shoved her. Gaby screamed and she plummeted towards the water.

"Hey!" she screamed as she bubbled to the surface. "That wasn't nice!" she gasped. She coughed out the water that had escaped down her throat.

She reached up towards him. "Help me up?" she coughed.

"Hmmm," he scratched his chin. "Let me think…sure." He smiled and took hold of Gaby's hand. Gaby pulled as hard as she could, and Jake tumbled into the water next to her.

"Didn't see that coming, did you?" Gaby laughed, splashing him.

"No I didn't!" laughed Jake, splashing her back. They both splashed each other, moving closer towards each other to get each other soaked more, until they were only inches apart, and then they both stopped. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like ages, until Gaby finally broke the silence.

"Jake," she said. "Why do you flirt with Natalie if you don't like her?"

"Shh," he said, putting a finger to her lips. He lifted his right hand and then he pushed Gaby under the water.

Gaby screamed and smacked his hand until he let go and let her up. She surfaced and pushed him under, not letting go until he scratched her hand.

"Ouch!" she squealed as he surfaced, holding her scratched hand.

"It was self defense," Jake shrugged. He took her hand and lead her to a shallow part, only a feet deep. He put one hand on Gaby's waist and took her hand in the other. "Dance with me," he said.

"Okay," Gaby said, laughing. She placed her other hand on Jake's shoulder.

They each took a step, and then another, and they whirled into a dance, right there in the lake, both of them, in their soaking wet t-shirts and shorts, moving to the beat of an imaginary song. They moved in perfect unity.

_This is so romantic,_ Gaby thought. She smiled as he twirled her around and then brought her back, and they moved together, twirling and laughing. Then Jake removed his hand from Gaby's, put in on her waist, and he lifted her into the air and spun her around. Gaby laughed and shrieked at the same time.

Then Jake's hand started wobbling a little under her weight and Gaby started falling.

"Catch me!" she squealed as she fell. Jake reached out both hands and caught her.

"Jake? Is that you?" Natalie asked, walking towards them in her super short shorts and super tight tank top.

Neither Gaby nor Jake moved.

"Jake? Is that- Gaby? What are you guys _doing_?" she asked, sounding angry.

"We were dancing," giggled Gaby as Jake spun around to face Natalie. "Oh! Jake, that makes me dizzy!" she laughed.

"Jake? Why did you-?" Natalie began, but then she stopped and turned to face Gaby. "I should have known all along, Gaby. I should have known you were trying to steal my boyfriend.

"Boyfriend?" Gaby and Jake asked at the same time.

"Yes," Natalie said. "Jake and I are dating."

"You are?" Gaby asked.

"We are?" Jake asked at the same time.

"Yes, we _are,_" Natalie said, making a face at Gaby, obviously not hearing Jake questioning her.

"I knew it, Jake," Gaby said, walking towards Natalie. "You lied to me! You said you didn't like her. You said you liked _me_."

"What?" Natalie asked, outraged. "Come on, Gaby, let's go. This guy's just using us."

"Yeah," Gaby said, folding her arms across her chest. "Let's go."

And with that, both girls stalked off towards the cabin.

"Wait!" Jake called. "I wasn't lying, Gaby! Natalie and I were never going out! But Natalie, I do like you, I just, hey! Wait!" he called.

But both girls ignored him and they headed off silently to their cabin. _I can't believe it,_ Gaby thought angrily. _What a-_

"Gaby, are you okay?" Rory asked. Gaby stopped and looked up.

"What?" she asked. Natalie kept walking.

"I was on my way to my cabin and I saw- you. Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I am?" she asked. She hadn't realized she had been crying. "Sorry, I just, I don't know."

"C'mon, what's wrong?" Rory asked; his brown eyes wide and concerned.

"It's just," Gaby started. "It's just that I thought I liked Jake, and I thought he liked me. He _told_ me he liked me. I was worried he liked Natalie, but he said he didn't, so tonight we were dancing, and then Natalie showed up and said that they were dating, and, and-" Gaby tried to finish, but she was choked up with her tears.

"What a jerk," Rory said. "Come here," he said, leading her to the steps of his cabin. "Sit down." They sat down and Gaby looked up at Rory.

"I just, it made me so angry," she said, sniffling. "And- and sad."

"I can't believe he did that," Rory said.

"Me either," Gaby sniffled. She choked on her tears, and then took three deep breaths to calm herself down. When she stopped crying, she looked up at Rory. "Thanks for listening to me whine, and, and cry," she said. "I'm sorry, I don't usually break down like this. I should be going now, anyway," she said, standing up.

"No, no, it's okay," Rory said, pulling her back down. "I don't mind." He smiled at her. "Anything I can do for you?" he asked her. Gaby thought on that one.

"Well," she said, a devious smile growing on her face. "There is _one_ thing you can do…"


End file.
